Page 74 of Accidentally Sliding Into A Second Chance

I shrug, and jog away from him. When he catches up I respond, “I couldn’t sleep.”

The steady thump-thump of our footsteps can be heard as we jog side-by-side in silence down the lighted street. Our breathing is the only other sound around us. My head on the other hand is anything but still. Thoughts churn like the soft rumble of a freight train making its way down the track. Moving at a steady pace toward its destination.

Me.

“I should have slept like the dead after not sleeping all weekend.” Duncan sprints ahead of me and turns to face me, his eyes glinting, an annoying smirk lining his lips. I shake my headfuriously, my face heating. “That’s not what I meant. We just talked.”

“Ava and Italkand lose sleep all the time, too.” He winks before moving back and running next to me. I snort out a laugh. There are things Ava and Inevertalk about, an unspoken understanding. Her relations with my younger brother would be at the top of that list. And Duncan knows it. He’s doing this to get under my skin. He waggles his eyebrows, “Is that the reason you hadtroublesleeping last night?”

“Well, look at you all talkative this morning.” I roll my eyes and focus on the street in front of me. I know why I’m not sleeping, and teasing me about it isn’t going to help. Getting Duncan’s take might though. So I bring up the other topic that’s at the forefront of my mind.

“Did Scarlett bring up calling Cat ‘Mom’ while she was with you?” I glance over at him and see his lips pressed together. I nod. “That’s what I thought.”

“That daughter of yours is something else,” he mutters, affection obvious in his tone. My little girl is a handful and I know it. But there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his goddaughter and I’m grateful to have him around. “I think the more important question, though, is how do youfeelabout her calling Cat ‘Mom’?”

There’s a flip in my chest and warmth floods me. “If you had asked me four months ago if I was okay with Scarlett calling anyone besides Fiona ‘Mom’, my answer would’ve been an unequivocal no.”

“And now?”

I slow to a walk and wipe my forehead, Duncan matching my pace. “And now that person isn’t just anyone, it’s Cat.”

Running a hand through my hair, I chew on my bottom lip and try to decide if I want to talk about this feeling that’s been floating around.

Everything with Cat has felt so easy, and it all came together in a way that feels like someone planned it. What are the odds that I would adopt a dog where Cat volunteers?

“Hey Dunc? Would you think I was crazy if I told you—”

Do I really want to say this out loud?

“Too late,” Duncan slaps my shoulder, and snickers. “I already know you’re crazy. Did you forget we grew up together?”

“Ha. Ha.” A wide grin slides across my face. “But seriously…”

I blow out a heavy breath and take a moment to think about what I’m about to say. Duncan calmly watches, waiting for me to continue.

I clear my throat. “Do you think I’d be crazy if I told you it felt like Fiona had a hand in me and Cat finding each other again?”

“Would you think I was crazy if I told you I felt the same way about me and Ava?”

My gaze snaps to him, only to find he’s completely serious, his green eyes don’t hold an ounce of humor. He cups my shoulder and nods.

“I think there isn’t anything Fiona wouldn’t do for the people she loved, even if she’s not here anymore.”

I close my eyes and swallow, my throat tight. And in that moment I know one thing for certain: He’s right.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Cat

Footstepsechofaintlythroughthe house, swallowed by the darkness, and then trailed with the soft clicking of the front door.

This isn’t the first time David has gone out for a run, but it is the first time he’s left while it’s still dark out.

My cheeks lift as a soft giggle escapes, picturing Scarlett and Emmy hovering over him, waiting for any sign that he was awake before pouncing. A hitch of a breath, a lift of a brow, anything. How did he do that with the two of them in his face like that?

I cover my mouth to stifle the laugh bubbling up. I don’t want Scarlett to think it’s okay to get up yet—especially since I needed to negotiate with her to get her back in bed.

When I finally have my laughter under control, I heave out a sigh and yawn. How am I going to make it through the day? I’m exhausted, and yet for the life of me, I can’t sleep.

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